History repeats itself as Rahul Gandhi recreates pic featuring Rajiv Gandhi at Khanqah Mosque in Bihar

The two pictures years apart | X

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to the Khanqah Rahmani mosque in Munger area of poll-bound Bihar is now making headlines after a picture of Gandhi surfaced, showing a striking resemblance to a picture of his father and politician Rajiv Gandhi at the same spot in the same mosque.

The Khanqah Rahmani mosque, which is located in Jamalpur, was established by Maulana Mohammad Ali Mungri in 1901. It has historically played a role not only in social reforms but also in India’s freedom struggle. Rahul Gandhi visited the mosque while he was participating in his ongoing 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', which is being carried out throughout Bihar to mobilise support ahead of the high-stakes state elections that are scheduled to take place in the state later this year.

Rahul Gandhi reached Jamalpur on the sixth day of his yatra, which began from Sasaram last Sunday. He visited the mosque and met its Maulana. Gandhi was accompanied by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav during the mosque visit. NDTV reported that a large crowd gathered to welcome the Congress leader.

Reports said that Khanqah Rahmani’s association with the Gandhi family dates back to 1985 when Rajiv Gandhi visited the shrine. In the pictures that have surfaced online, Rahul Gandhi was seen sitting at the same spot where his father had sat inside the same mosque, thus marking a symbolic connection between the two visits.

The mosque holds significant importance for the Muslim community in the state of Bihar and has hosted several VIP guests in the past - including Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi, reports have said. The shrine also reportedly supported  many revolutionaries during the freedom struggle.

Apart from the religious significance that the mosque holds, Khanqah Rahmani also has an educational wing that was established in 1927 and is now run by the Rahmani Foundation, which is its charitable arm.

The institution is known for conducting training sessions for aspiring engineers and doctors for competitive exams like JEE and NEET and is reportedly equipped with smart classrooms to provide advanced education.